Changes

===Lesson===

===Lesson===

Yes the effect of our continuing lesson on forgiveness has taken its toll. And yet has anyone undertaken an exercise regime that did not experience tender muscles in the process of building strength? For this exercise of acknowledging the role of acceptance, of mortal imperfection, is all consuming. One may look to each other for confirmation of imperfection but we would have you go beyond this 'misery loves company' to higher and less stressful realms of functioning.

Yes the effect of our continuing lesson on forgiveness has taken its toll. And yet has anyone undertaken an exercise regime that did not experience tender muscles in the process of building strength? For this exercise of acknowledging the role of acceptance, of mortal imperfection, is all consuming. One may look to each other for confirmation of imperfection but we would have you go beyond this 'misery loves company' to higher and less stressful realms of functioning.  

The fruit of the Spirit, forgiving tolerance, is what you have been practicing this week in your notice of the work necessary in the realm of human communication or lack of the same. In the tolerance of your brother and sister, both in the flesh and in the spirit, you have opportunity to reflect on your own case. The exhaustion does prevail when you see the situation as hopeless or when you find you have no power to heal the situation, when you realize your feet are of clay and your methods are not necessarily universal in application.

The fruit of the Spirit, forgiving tolerance, is what you have been practicing this week in your notice of the work necessary in the realm of human communication or lack of the same. In the tolerance of your brother and sister, both in the flesh and in the spirit, you have opportunity to reflect on your own case. The exhaustion does prevail when you see the situation as hopeless or when you find you have no power to heal the situation, when you realize your feet are of clay and your methods are not necessarily universal in application.  

We have watched you this week as we promised. Assuredly your work has been deep and effective not only for you personally but for all of life since these in-depth awarenesses, these soul cognizances have become part of the evolving process of God. The effect of your efforts will leak into the mainstream of thought for all mankind.

We have watched you this week as we promised. Assuredly your work has been deep and effective not only for you personally but for all of life since these in-depth awarenesses, these soul cognizances have become part of the evolving process of God. The effect of your efforts will leak into the mainstream of thought for all mankind.

The efforts that you expend on maintaining your love for your fellows is mortar in the foundation of Kingdom building. Remember in coming and going, in your daily life to take time to gather spirit strength from God, from that divine power which will implement your going forward with your service work. My eager friend and co-teacher Daniel is delighted to portray through PamElla, if she is willing, some remarks at this time."

The efforts that you expend on maintaining your love for your fellows is mortar in the foundation of Kingdom building. Remember in coming and going, in your daily life to take time to gather spirit strength from God, from that divine power which will implement your going forward with your service work. My eager friend and co-teacher Daniel is delighted to portray through PamElla, if she is willing, some remarks at this time.  

Daniel(TR #4): "Greetings friends, I am Daniel. It is, indeed, my very great pleasure to speak with you this evening. I have been most pleased with your attention to our lessons of the past two weeks. Your growth has, indeed, been broad based. You have truly grabbed the bit, as it were, taking this lesson between your teeth and pushed forward with it. As your teacher, one of your teachers, I could not ask for anything more by way of commitment, by way of homework, by way of personal study. I am pleased.

DANIEL: Greetings friends, I am Daniel. It is, indeed, my very great pleasure to speak with you this evening. I have been most pleased with your attention to our lessons of the past two weeks. Your growth has, indeed, been broad based. You have truly grabbed the bit, as it were, taking this lesson between your teeth and pushed forward with it. As your teacher, one of your teachers, I could not ask for anything more by way of commitment, by way of homework, by way of personal study. I am pleased.

Tonight, my friends, we will continue our study of forgiveness by looking at self forgiveness. I realize that this topic is most likely not a surprise to many of you, but, indeed, you have broached the issue and several of you have that knowledge that self forgiveness is yet to come and is absolutely crucial in the processes of forgiveness.

Tonight, my friends, we will continue our study of forgiveness by looking at self forgiveness. I realize that this topic is most likely not a surprise to many of you, but, indeed, you have broached the issue and several of you have that knowledge that self forgiveness is yet to come and is absolutely crucial in the processes of forgiveness.  

But first we asked you to look to the outer world, to look to the situations, the individuals, the institutions, and the history so that you would become aware of your lack of forgiveness, so that you wouldn't brush aside this lesson by saying, 'Oh, this I have already done. I have already done this many times. This must be for my comrades, my fellow brothers and sisters. They are the ones that Daniel is speaking to tonight'. No friends, I am speaking to each of you.

But first we asked you to look to the outer world, to look to the situations, the individuals, the institutions, and the history so that you would become aware of your lack of forgiveness, so that you wouldn't brush aside this lesson by saying, 'Oh, this I have already done. I have already done this many times. This must be for my comrades, my fellow brothers and sisters. They are the ones that Daniel is speaking to tonight'. No friends, I am speaking to each of you.  

This is an ongoing thing as I believe you are coming to understand. Forgiveness is something that must be done daily, hourly, sometimes by the minute, and sometimes second by second. And so now that our past two lessons have grabbed your attention and you are coming to realize that need for forgiveness in your life you are coming to realize your separation from your brothers and sisters, from our grand Parent, and, my friends, I hope you are beginning to realize the separation you have from yourself. That is what I would like to talk to you about tonight..forgiveness of self and understanding who you are.

This is an ongoing thing as I believe you are coming to understand. Forgiveness is something that must be done daily, hourly, sometimes by the minute, and sometimes second by second. And so now that our past two lessons have grabbed your attention and you are coming to realize that need for forgiveness in your life you are coming to realize your separation from your brothers and sisters, from our grand Parent, and, my friends, I hope you are beginning to realize the separation you have from yourself. That is what I would like to talk to you about tonight, forgiveness of self and understanding who you are.

You are a child of the First Source and Center, our divine Parent, our Mother/Father/God, our infinite Creator/First Source. You, as children of this God, are an extension of our God. You are part of the I Am. And, my friends, you are also a material being and are a product of your enculturation..correction. You are a child of God, however, you have a false sense of who you are. One might call it 'false consciousness' that is the product of your enculturation.

You are a child of the First Source and Center, our divine Parent, our Mother/Father/God, our infinite Creator/First Source. You, as children of this God, are an extension of our God. You are part of the I Am. And, my friends, you are also a material being and are a product of your enculturation. Correction, you are a child of God, however, you have a false sense of who you are. One might call it 'false consciousness' that is the product of your enculturation.  

You are a child of culture as well. You are a child of your upbringing, your backgrounds, your family situations, your nationality, your ethnic background. And these are layers of muddying. They are layers that do not allow you to perceive that true essence that God created and you become often confused between your true identity and your identity within your culture. In order to begin to know who God created you must . .correction..PamElla objects to the word 'must' and feels that that is her language. But I say in order to know who you are you must forgive those layers of culture.

You are a child of culture as well. You are a child of your upbringing, your backgrounds, your family situations, your nationality, your ethnic background. And these are layers of muddying. They are layers that do not allow you to perceive that true essence that God created and you become often confused between your true identity and your identity within your culture. In order to begin to know who God created you must -- correction, PamElla objects to the word 'must' and feels that that is her language. But I say in order to know who you are you must forgive those layers of culture.  

You must understand yourself by understanding the cultural 'you', the person you are in your society, the person that your brothers and sisters see, who you think of as 'yourself'. For, you see, it is your understanding of yourself as that 'cultural identity' that separates you from your brothers and your sisters; for are not those the areas in which you are quick to judge one another when they don't fit with your cultural upbringing or your understanding of proper morality or your understanding of dress or if they are a different age? Is that not where your feel the isolation and the separation?

You must understand yourself by understanding the cultural 'you', the person you are in your society, the person that your brothers and sisters see, who you think of as 'yourself'. For, you see, it is your understanding of yourself as that 'cultural identity' that separates you from your brothers and your sisters; for are not those the areas in which you are quick to judge one another when they don't fit with your cultural upbringing or your understanding of proper morality or your understanding of dress or if they are a different age? Is that not where your feel the isolation and the separation?  

In your essences as children of the First Source and Center there is no separation but it is your judgments upon one another that come from your cultural identity that are your blockages. And so now, tonight, I would invite you to spend the next week forgiving from this perspective.

In your essences as children of the First Source and Center there is no separation but it is your Judgements upon one another that come from your cultural identity that are your blockages. And so now, tonight, I would invite you to spend the next week forgiving from this perspective.  

I would ask you to look inward this week and as you find yourselves reacting to your brothers and sisters instead of forgiving them for their offenses as you see them, their differences, or their actions as irritants upon you, I would ask you to look at yourself and begin the process of questioning and saying..why is it that I react to that? Why is it that I am intolerant of that? Why is it that that particular behavior really sets me on edge? And as you begin to ask those questions you will begin to find answers.

I would ask you to look inward this week and as you find yourselves reacting to your brothers and sisters instead of forgiving them for their offenses as you see them, their differences, or their actions as irritants upon you, I would ask you to look at yourself and begin the process of questioning and saying why is it that I react to that? Why is it that I am intolerant of that? Why is it that that particular behavior really sets me on edge? And as you begin to ask those questions you will begin to find answers.  

And as those answers surface you will find there is forgiveness that you need to do in two realms: the external realm in your past, in the realm of the institutions, in the realm of your upbringing; but also you will find that you will want to forgive yourself for your understandings, for your learnings, for experiencing the situations in the way you have.

And as those answers surface you will find there is forgiveness that you need to do in two realms: the external realm in your past, in the realm of the institutions, in the realm of your upbringing; but also you will find that you will want to forgive yourself for your understandings, for your learnings, for experiencing the situations in the way you have.  

My friends, this is an ongoing process. Do not expect that you should be complete in this or free of your reactions by next week, no. This will go on. We still find ourselves forgiving. And, yes, the heavy past work in forgiveness for most of us is fairly complete but forgiveness is ongoing, self examination is ongoing, self understanding is ongoing; and the beauty is that as this process unfolds you discover within yourself, within your being, who it is that God created. You are very beautiful and unique. You each are a unique expression of the First Source, the God of us all, the I AM. My friends I would invite you to relish your own uniqueness and relish the uniqueness of your brothers and sisters.

My friends, this is an ongoing process. Do not expect that you should be complete in this or free of your reactions by next week, no. This will go on. We still find ourselves forgiving. And, yes, the heavy past work in forgiveness for most of us is fairly complete but forgiveness is ongoing, self examination is ongoing, self understanding is ongoing; and the beauty is that as this process unfolds you discover within yourself, within your being, who it is that God created. You are very beautiful and unique. You each are a unique expression of the First Source, the God of us all, the I AM. My friends I would invite you to relish your own uniqueness and relish the uniqueness of your brothers and sisters.  

I believe that you will discover as you continue that rather than being exhausted you will find new strength. For as Tomas has stated, this is a new exercise and right now your muscles are tender and you aware that you have not used them for a while; you are sore and it is tiring. As with any exercise routine as you practice, as you maintain that commitment, as you work on a regular schedule, you become fit. Your muscles become hardened. You know that strength and that confidence and that inner sense of self worth that comes from such a discipline.

I believe that you will discover as you continue that rather than being exhausted you will find new strength. For as Tomas has stated, this is a new exercise and right now your muscles are tender and you aware that you have not used them for a while; you are sore and it is tiring. As with any exercise routine as you practice, as you maintain that commitment, as you work on a regular schedule, you become fit. Your muscles become hardened. You know that strength and that confidence and that inner sense of self worth that comes from such a discipline.

So, yes, you are sore and tired and exhausted now but you can look forward to renewed strength, increased strength. At some point you will feel stronger and more centered than at any time in your life. And, my friends, the good news is that unlike physical stamina you are never past your peak. Spiritual strength only continues to develop and to grow. Welcome to this new endeavor of exercise; welcome to spiritual exercise. And now Tomas and I are open to questions and comments."

So, yes, you are sore and tired and exhausted now but you can look forward to renewed strength, increased strength. At some point you will feel stronger and more centered than at any time in your life. And, my friends, the good news is that unlike physical stamina you are never past your peak. Spiritual strength only continues to develop and to grow. Welcome to this new endeavor of exercise; welcome to spiritual exercise. And now Tomas and I are open to questions and comments.

 

===Dialogue===

===Dialogue===

Carla: "Daniel, this is Carla. I appreciate very much the way you have addressed the issue of forgiveness. I have been working with the issue of forgiveness all week, not just because it is here but because in my discipline for preaching the lectionary is talking about loving enemies and praying for those who abuse you, and essentially about forgiveness.

Carla: "Daniel, this is Carla. I appreciate very much the way you have addressed the issue of forgiveness. I have been working with the issue of forgiveness all week, not just because it is here but because in my discipline for preaching the lectionary is talking about loving enemies and praying for those who abuse you, and essentially about forgiveness.